Adjustable vehicle-washing machine

ABSTRACT

A vehicle-washing machine includes an inverted U-shaped bridge which carries water and detergent nozzles. The bridge is pivoted near its bottom ends, each end having a counterweight. The pivots are on wheeled trolleys. One trolley has an adjustable mechanism which rotates its wheels during oscillation of the bridge.

United States Patent Inventor Uberto Capro Vicenza, Italy Appl. No. 825,243 Filed May 16, 1969 Patented Oct. 12, 1971 Assignee Ceccato 8: C.S.p.A.

Vicenza, Italy Priority May 29, 1968 Italy 17072A/68 ADJUSTABLE VEHICLE-WASHING MACHINE 10 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 134/123, 134/181 Int. Cl B605 3/04 Field of Search 134/45, 123, 18 l [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,708,446 5/1955 Phillips 134/123 X 3,288,109 11/1966 Smith, Jr. et al.. 134/123 X 3,368,572 2/1968 Capra 134/123 Primary Examiner-Robert Ll Bleutge Attorney-Karl F. Ross ABSTRACT: A vehicle-washing machine includes an inverted U-shaped bridge which carries water and detergent nozzles. The bridge is pivoted near its bottom ends, each end having a counterweight. The pivots are on wheeled trolleys. One trolley has an adjustable mechanism which rotates its wheels during oscillation of the bridge.

ADJUSTABLE VEHICLE-WASHING MACHINE The present invention relates to machines for the washing of vehicles and more particularly to a vehicle-washing machine whose movement may be adjusted to match the length of the vehicle being washed.

In my prior U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,572, issued Feb. 13, 1968 and entitled Car Washing Apparatus, there is disclosed a vehicle-washing machine which includes an inverted-U- shaped arched bridge framework. The framework carries nozzles connected to washing-water and detergent lines. The bridge framework, during the washing of the vehicle, swings about an axis from the front to the rear of the vehicle.

This invention relates to improvements in'or modifications of the vehicle-washing apparatus described in the U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,572.

The object of the present inventionis to provide an oscillating-bridge vehicle-washing apparatus which has the desirable features of simplicity, lightness, and ease of handling.

According to the invention, the oscillation of the bridge which is the nozzle support or spraying member, detennines the rectilinear displacement of its ends. These ends are pivoted on trolleys, one trolley having a motor drive and being mounted on a guide track. A transmission system causes movement of the motor-driven trolley, the extent of movement and the swing of the bridge being adjustable.

More specifically the travel of .the driven trolley is determined by the oscillation of the nozzle support or spraying member. An extension of the nozzle support is connected with an extension of a reciprocable carriage mounted on guide tracks within the driven trolley. The end of the last mentioned extension is engageable with a transmission system adapted to transform the rectilinear displacement of the carriage, due to the oscillation of the nozzle support, into a rotary movement of the wheels of the driven trolley, thereby-extending the effective sweep of the nozzles on their swinging support.

The connection of the extension of the nozzle support to the extension of the reciprocable carriage is achieved by means of a lockable plug or pin on the first extension. The lockable plug or pin is free to run within a slot provided in the second extension, the distance of this pin from the axis of oscillation of the nozzle support determining----for each half-oscillation of the nozzle support itself starting from the vertical positionthe extent of the rectilinear displacement of the carriage its normal centered position; this distance is advantageously adjustable in accordance with the desired washing sweep.

A preferred embodiment of the washing apparatus according to the invention is illustrated, by way of example, in the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. I is a diagrammatic front view of the apparatus as a whole;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged diagrammatic section taken along the line 11-11 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line III-III of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line IV-IV of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 illustrates on a greatly enlarged scale the detail indicated by A in FIG. 4; and 1 FIG. 6 is an enlarged detail of the positioning and locking system of the latch for controlling the length of travel of the trolley.

As shown the drawing, and in particular in FIG. 1, the apparatus embodying my invention comprises a nozzle support 1, provided with counterweights 1:, in the form of an oscillating bridge pivoted at 2 and 3 respectively to trolleys 4 and 5. The nozzle carrier 1 has a plurality of waterspraying nozzles 6 connected to a single feed tube 7 and two or more nozzles 8, connected to a single tube 9, for the distribution of a shampoo or other detergent solution.

The trolley 5 is constituted by a simple support on which are mounted two wheels 10, while the trolley 4 is in the form of a casing on which there are mounted traction wheels 11, of the grooved type, for running on a guide rail 12.

According to FIGS. 2 to 6 of the drawing, the trolley 4 has mounted thereon a longitudinal extending'guide unit 13 within which a small carriage 15 runs on rollers 14 and from whose lower part depends a stirrup 16 provided with a vertical slot 17 (FIGS. 4 and 6). At the lower. terminal part of the stirrup 16 the carriage 15 is engageable with a toothed belt having lower and upper runs 19, 19'; in mesh with toothed wheels 20 attached to the axles of the wheels 11, by a clamp generally designated 18 and described in more detail below.

The fulcrum pin 2 of the nozzle carrier 1 is extended internally in the trolley 4 to form a shaft 21 on the free end of which is integrally mounted a depending member as attachment 23 directed, with the nozzle carrier 1 in the vertical position, downwards and parallel to the nozzle carrier itself. The attachment 23, which is of a substantially flattened form, has on the side turned towards the coacting member or stirrup 16 (FIG. 6) a longitudinal channel 24 along which are drilled holes 25, 25 and 25" intended to receive a pin 26 passing through the slot 17 of the stirrup 16. This pin 26 has a knob 27, two travel limiting stops 28, 28, disposed externally and internally relative to the stirrup I6, and a return spring 29 located between the internal stop 28' and the stirrup 16: the withdrawal stroke of the pin 26 is so calculated that it allows the removal of its end from the holes 25, 25 and 25" but not from the groove 24 for reasons which will be described with reference to the operation.

There is also attached to the shaft 21 a sprocket wheel 30 coupled, through a chain 31, with a chain wheel 32 of a motor and reduction-gear unit 33 mounted on a bracket 34 integral with the trolley 4.

The clamp 18 mounted on the lower terminal part of the stirrup 16 serves, as stated above, to connect the carriage 15 to the run 19 of the toothed belt. This device (FIG. 5) is constituted by a block 35 within which is machined a chamber 36 for a small piston 37 and which externally an idler roller 38 bearing upon with rigid guides 39 integral with the structure of the trolley 4. On the upper face of the block 35 ,there is pivoted at 40 a contact arm 41 having a toothed rack 42 .engageable with corresponding teeth 42' formed on the inside face of the belt l9, 19. The rod 37' of the piston 37 contacts at its free end a part 41' of the arm 41 to cause, when the piston 37 is forced upwards by the action of compressed air supplied through a conduit 43, a swing in the counterclockwise direction (as viewed in FIG. 5) of the arm 41 and so to carry the toothed rack 42 of this latter into engagement with the teeth 42' of the belt l9, 19'. A coil spring 44 returns the piston 37 to its lowermost position and another spring 45 returns the arm 41 to the disengaged position when there is no air pressure within the chamber 36. The engagement of the toothed rack 42 with the teeth 42' of the movable clamp jaw 41 is ensured by an anvil 46 forming another clamp jaw; integral with the block 35.

As specified in my aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,368,572, the various washing sweeps defined by the nozzle carrier result from the combination of the rotational movement of the said nozzle carrier about its own fulcrum and the displacement of that fulcrum. In the present case, the distance of the travel of the trolley 4 is a function of the distance of the pin 26 from the fulcrum 2 of the nozzle carrier 1, and thus of the radius r of a circle R traced by pin 26 about its shaft 21, it being possible to vary that distance as desired by selectively inserting the pin 26 into any one of the holes 25, 25', 25" drilled in the extension 23 (in the embodiment shown only three holes are depicted, but obviously the number of such holes may be altered according to the number of different washing sweeps it is desired to obtain).

Supposing, by way of example, that the pin 26 has been engaged in the hole 25, i.e. the hole most remote from the shaft 21. The oscillation of the nozzle carrier 1, through the action of the driving unit 35, in the direction of the arrow F (FIG. 2) will cause an oscillation of the same amplitude but in opposite direction of the extension 23 and, consequently, a movement of carriage 15 in the direction of the arrow H as a result of the sliding of the pin 26 within the channel 17 of the stirrup 16 integral with that carriage. It is obvious that the movement of the carriage 15, when the latter is secured to the belt 19, 19 through the locking of the clamp 18, will cause a corresponding displacement of the lower run 19 of that belt and belt 119, 19' and thus a movement of the trolley 4 in the direction of the arrow F.

To let the nozzle carrier 1 oscillate over an arc of a circle it will be sufficient, whatever the position of the pin 26, to release the carriage R5 from the belt 19, 19 and to operate the motor unit 33. Similarly, to bring the apparatus into the working position or vice versa, it will be sufl'icient to disconnect the carriage from the belt R9, 19' and to push the apparatus by hand into the desired position.

To vary the position of the pin 26 it is only necessary to withdraw it from the hole 25 and, if the nozzle carrier 1 is not in the vertical position, to displace the carriage l5 manually until the end of this pin, sliding in the slot 24, is inserted by the action of the spring 29 into the next hole or into any other hole desired.

What we claim is:

l. A vehicle-washing apparatus comprising trolley means movable along a track provided with a traction wheel; an upstanding support pivotally mounted on said trolley means for swinging about a horizontal axis transverse to said track; nozzle means on said support trained upon a vehicle to be washed; drive means on said trolley means for oscillating said support about said axis to subject said vehicle to a sweeping spray of a liquid supplied to said nozzle means; a carriage on said trolley means guided for rectilinear displacement in a direction parallel to said track; connector means linking said carriage with said support for linear reciprocation in step with an oscillatory swing of the latter; transmission means on said trolley means engaging said traction wheel; and releasable coupling means for optionally connecting said carriage with said transmission means to translate said rectilinear displacement into a movement of said trolley means along said track, thereby extending the sweep of said spray.

2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said transmission means comprises an elongate element extending parallel to said track, said coupling means including a clamp on said carriage bracketing said element and control means operable in an open position of said clamp for closing same about said element.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said clamp means comprises a first jaw rigid with said carriage and a fluidactuatable second jaw coacting with said first jaw in gripping said element.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said first jaw in part of a block provided with a fluid chamber and with a fluid-responsive piston in said chamber, said second jaw being fulcrumed on said block and having an extension engageable by said piston for closing said clamp.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising spring means on said block urging said second jaw away from said first jaw.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said element is an endless belt with a toothed surface, said clamp having a toothed jaw engageable with said toothed surface.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said portal frame is provided with a depending member extending below said axis, said carriage including a coacting member lying alongside said depending member in an upright position of said support, said connector means comprising a pin on one of said members guided in a slot on the other of said members.

8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said one of said members is provided with a plurality of seats for said pin at different distances from said axis in said upright position, said pin being selectively receivable in any of said seats for varying the extent of said rectilinear displacement in response to a given swing of said support.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said pin permanently lodged in said slot with longitudinal mobility and is provided with biasing means urging it toward a seat aligned therewith.

10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said one of said pins is formed with a groove interconnecting said seats and confronting said slot, said pin being provided with stop means limiting its mobility against the force of said biasing means for preventing withdrawal of said pin from said groove. 

1. A vehicle-washing apparatus comprising trolley means movable along a track provided with a traction wheel; an upstanding support pivotally mounted on said trolley means for swinging about a horizontal axis transverse to said track; nozzle means on said support trained upon a vehicle to be washed; drive means on said trolley means for oscillating said support about said axis to subject said vehicle to a sweeping spray of a liquid supplied to said nozzle means; a carriage on said trolley means guided for rectilinear displacement in a direction parallel to said track; connector means linking said carriage with said support for linear reciprocation in step with an oscillatory swing of the latter; transmission means on said trolley means engaging said traction wheel; and releasable coupling means for optionally connecting said carriage with said transmission means to translate said rectilinear displacement into a movement of said trolley means along said track, thereby extending the sweep of said spray.
 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said transmission means comprises an elongate element extending parallel to said track, said coupling means including a clamp on said carriage bracketing said element and control means operable in an open position of said clamp for closing same about said element.
 3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said clamp means comprises a first jaw rigid with said carriage and a fluid-actuatable second jaw coacting with said first jaw in gripping said element.
 4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said first jaw in part of a blocK provided with a fluid chamber and with a fluid-responsive piston in said chamber, said second jaw being fulcrumed on said block and having an extension engageable by said piston for closing said clamp.
 5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4, further comprising spring means on said block urging said second jaw away from said first jaw.
 6. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said element is an endless belt with a toothed surface, said clamp having a toothed jaw engageable with said toothed surface.
 7. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said portal frame is provided with a depending member extending below said axis, said carriage including a coacting member lying alongside said depending member in an upright position of said support, said connector means comprising a pin on one of said members guided in a slot on the other of said members.
 8. An apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said one of said members is provided with a plurality of seats for said pin at different distances from said axis in said upright position, said pin being selectively receivable in any of said seats for varying the extent of said rectilinear displacement in response to a given swing of said support.
 9. An apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said pin permanently lodged in said slot with longitudinal mobility and is provided with biasing means urging it toward a seat aligned therewith.
 10. An apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said one of said pins is formed with a groove interconnecting said seats and confronting said slot, said pin being provided with stop means limiting its mobility against the force of said biasing means for preventing withdrawal of said pin from said groove. 